Tomato coring and skinning machine



March 1, 1955 B. 1. BUCK 2,703,124

TOMATO CORING AND SKINNING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1951 ll Sheets-Sheet l g(I) l I i I Q N g g h n I (O l [I INVENTOR.

BENJAMIN I. BUCK BY DES JARDINS, ROBINSON & KEISER HIS ATTORNEYS March 1, 1955 B. l. BUCK TOMATO CORING AND SKINNING MACHINE l1 She'ets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1951 INVENTOR. BENJAMIN MN h lid on mm 9} J NV] Ql i d H H 1 um mm 6 mm Q \6 m a v9 m: 5 Q m is U H mm P m mo. 02 IU Ow Q T 0 mm; b m w h 8m 8 8. m9 09 3 Sn 3 n 5 own wmm ,5 mg 2: m9 m8 9% m5 BUCK BY DESJARDINS, ROBINSON & KEISER HIS ATITORNEYS March 1, 1955 B. I. BUCK 2,703,124

TOMATO CURING AND SKINNING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1951 11 Sheets-Sheet a BENJAMIN l. BUCK BY DESJARDINS, ROBINSON & KEISER HIS ATTORNEYS March 1, 1955 B. 1. BUCK 2,703,124

TOMATO CORING AND SKINNING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1951 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

BENJAMIN l. BUCK H|S ATTORNEYS BY DES JARDINS, ROBINSON 8. KEISER mmm March 1, 1955 uc 2,703,124

TOMATO CORING AND SKINNI'NG MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1951 11'- Sheets-Shee't 5 IN V EN TOR. BENJAMIN l. BUCK DES JARDINS, ROBINSON 8. KE| SER f H IS ATTORNEYS March 1, 1955 B. 1. BUCK 2,703,124

TOMATQ 00am; AND sxnmms MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1951 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 IN V EN TOR. BENJAMIN l. BUCK BY DES JARDINS, ROBINSON 8. KEISEP HIS ATTORNEYS March 1, 1955 B, l. BUCK TOMATO CORING AND SKINNING MACHINE 11 Sheets-$11961; 7

Filed Feb. 24, 1951 IN VEN TOR. BENJAMIN l. BUCK BY DES JARDINS ROBINSON 8. KEISEA HIS ATTORNEYS March 1, 1955 Filed Feb. 24, 1951 B. l. BUCK 2,703,124

TOMATO CORING AND SKINNING MACHINE l1 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR.

" BENJAMIN I. BUCK BY DES JARDINS, ROBINSON 8. KEI SER HIS ATTORNEYS March 1, 1955 B. BUCK TOMATO CORING AND sxnmmc MACHINE 11 Sheets-:Sheet 9 Filed Feb. 24, 1951 KW. W8 U m VmNm J wT MW N Ems ,m s m D R A J s E D March 1, 1955 B. I. BUCK TOMATO CORING AND SKINNING MACHINE ll Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Feb. 24, 1951 hmm 00m vmm mmm mmm IN V EN TOR. BENJAMIN l. BUCK BY DES JARDINS, ROBINSON & KEISER HIS ATTORNEYS March 1, 1955 a BUCK 2,703,124

TOMATO CORING AND SKINNING MACHINE" Filed Feb. 24, 1951 11 Sheets-Sheet ll IN V EN TOR.

E .15 BENJAMIN l. BUCK BY DESJARDINS, ROBINSON 8. KEISER HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent TOMATO CURING AND SKINNING MACHINE Benjamin 1. Buck, Baltimore, 'Md., assignor of one-half to H. Beale Rollins,-Baltimore, Md.; said H. Beale Rollins, executor of said Benjamin I. Buck, deceased Application February 24, 1951, Serial No. 212,560

43 Claims. (Cl. 146-48) My invention relates to an improved tomato coring and skinning machine and has to do more particularly with apparatus for coring the stem ends of the tomatoes and removing their skins by suction applied to the opposite sides.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 151,469, filed March 23, 1950, for Tomato Skinning Machine as a continuation-in-part of my earlier application Serial No. 707,848, filed November 5, 1946 (now abandoned), for Device for Coring and Skinning Tomatoes.

The problem'of coring the stemmed ends of tomatoes and removing their skins is a diflicult one because of the marked irregularity in shape and size of the tomatoes, and the principal object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a machine for automatically aligning said tomatoes on a conveyor for conveying them in properly aligned position to various stations where various operations are to be performed for coring the stemmed ends and removing the skins.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine for automatically coring the stemmed ends of the tomatoes and removing their skins, which is more effective and eificient than any tomato coring and paring machine heretofore made.

Another object of my invention is to provide an automatic machine for coring and skinning tomatoes and which will deliver them ready for canning or other processing.

A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic machine for 'removing the skins from the tomatoes by the application of suction to opposite sides thereof and effectively applying suction thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide an automatic machine for removing the skins from the tomatoes by the application of suction, in which the tomato is subjected to preparatory operations for conditioning the skin for removal by suction.

A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic machine for skinning tomatoes and conditioning their skins for removal by slitting or cutting them at various points to form two oppositely disposed side sections of skin, which may be removed'by the application of suction to opposite sides thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide 'such' an automatic machine for skinning tomatoes in which top and bottom transverse slices are removed from the tomato to permit the remaining portion ,of the skins to be steamed and slit into sections to facilitate removal thereof by suction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tomato skinning machine whereby the tomatoes are loaded on and carried by a conveyor to and past various operating stations, including means for automatically loading-the tomatoes on the conveyor in proper alignment with the stem ends uppermost. I t

Further objects, and objects relating to details of construction and economies of operation, will appear from the detailed description to follow. In one instance, 'I have accomplished the objects of my invention by the device and means described in the following specification. My invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the appended claims.

A construction constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingqdrawings, forming a part of this specification, in which:

1a is a side elevation of one part, including the receiving end, of a tomato coring and skinning machine embodying my invention.

Fig. lb is a side elevation of an intermediate part of the nliachine, continuing from the right hand end of Fig. 1c is a side elevation of the discharge end of the machine, continuing from the right hand end of Fig. 1b.

Fig. 2a is a top plan view of the part of the machine shown in Fig. la.

Fig. 2b is a top plan view of the part of the machine shown in Fig. lb.

Fig. 2c is a top plan view of the part of the machine shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the tomato lifting arm at the skin removing station and its associated operating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of one end portion of the steam chamber.

Fig. 4a is a detail elevation view of the closure for the end of the steam chamber.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the conveyor, including one of the flights.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the intermittent drive for the conveyor.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the end portion of the supporting lever with the rack gear thereon in latched position.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the skin slitting blades and means for supporting them.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows on lines 1010 of Fig. 2b.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the machine near the coring station, with some parts broken away and other parts shown in phantom.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged detailed view oi the holding jaws at the coring station and means for operating them.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of the skin removing mechanism, with some parts removed and other parts broken away.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged perspective view of the top and bottom end transverse slicing blades and the means for mounting them on the frame.

Fig. 15 is an enlarged view taken on the center line of the skin removing mechanism, with some parts shown in section and other parts shown in elevation.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the mechanism in Fig. 15, with the parts shown in different operative position.

Fig. 17 is an enlarged detailed plan view of one of the rubber sealing cups and its associated parts, some parts being shown in phantom.

Fig. 18 is a view substantially like Fig. 17, with the parts shown in different operating position.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged detailed view of the operating mechanism for the clamping wings at the coring station.

Referringspecifically to the drawings in which like numerals are. used to designate like parts, numeral 2 is an open top tank which has a narrow channel portion leading out from a gathering area where a supply of tomatoes are floated,.'in a liquid contained in the tank and channel, from the tank into the channel to be picked up and removed to various operating stations. The end of the channel opposite to the mouth opening into the tank terminates in 1811, end wall 3 that is segured against uprights forming a part of the main frame 4 of the machine. -The tank is further supported by corner legs 5 and a center leg 6;interposed between the corner legs and the end of the frame 4. The tank is of substantial width and depth for receiving a supplyof saline liquid, such as salted water, in which the tomatoes are floated with their stem ends up and their blossom ends down, and then, as thus floated, are caused to move, by a system of water jets, into the channel where they are collected, one by one in spaced relation, upon an endless conveyor 7 to be fed one at a time to the various operating stations.

A screen 8 issupported on brackets 9 which are welded to the tank walls a substantial distance below the desired water level that is maintained in the tank. The screen has a neck portion which projects into the mouth of the channel tank adjacent to the loading point of the endless conveyor 7. Thus, the screen provides a false bottom for the tank and the mouth of the channel.

This endless conveyor is composed of a pair of endless chains 11 which are arranged side by side in spaced apart parallel relation and connected by transverse flights 12 that form a plurality of individual recesses or pockets along the conveyor in which the tomatoes are received, and supported, there being one tomato in each pocket. Each flight comprises a U-shaped, curved, cross piece 13 whose sides are connected by rivets 14 to lugs 15, projecting from links selected at intervals along the chains 11. A lip 16, formed on the cross piece 13, engages one edge of the lugs 15 to hold the flights at a substantially right angle to the conveyor and prevent them from tilting. Accordingly, a tomato rests on and is supported by the chains 11 while its rear side seats against the transversely-extending arched cross piece for being carried along on and by the conveyor.

On the sidewall of the tank opposite the narrow channel and on its two end walls, water nozzles 17 are disposed for ejecting water into the tank and circulating it therethrough and into the channel to an outlet 18 on the end of the channel remote from the tank. Such water circulation through the tank to the channel urges tomatoes, floating in the water above the screen, toward and into the channel to the conveyor 7 where they are picked up by the flights 12 on said conveyor.

The screen providing a false bottom near the surface level of the water overcomes any tendency for the tomatoes to drop first to the bottom of the tank and then float to the surface after being dumped into the tank. The false bottom confines the tomatoes to an operating area regardless of the depth of the tank.

Each of the chains 11 is threaded over adjustably mounted idler sprockets 19, supported on the end of a channel bar 20 whose opposite end is pivoted at 21 to brackets 22 that are fixed to the end of the main frame 4. The sprockets 19 are rotatably mounted in a bearing 23 that is connected to the channel bar 20 by an arm 24, slotted at 25 to be adjustably clamped to the channel bar by a bolt 26 which extends through the slot 25. The chains 11 are also threaded over other sprockets 27 and 28, sprockets 27 (Fig. 1a) being driven by driving mechanism hereinafter described and sprockets 28 (Fig. 10) being idlers. There are two other idler sprockets 29 (Fig. la) and 30 (Fig. lb) for each chain mounted on some part of the main frame 4, the sprocket 29 being in a position to hold the lower stretch of the chains in mesh with the underside of driven sprocket 27 and sprockets 30 being disposed simply to take up the slack in the lower stretch of the chains. Each of these idlers 29 and 30 is mounted on a stub shaft 31, the ends of each pair of stub shafts being spaced apart to clear the flights and allow them to pass freely therebetween.

The elevation of the loading end of the conveyor Within the channel is regulated by a bar 32 supported on the top edges of the channel walls, the bar being longitudinally movable along the top edges of the channel walls to be clamped into adjusted position by the set screws 33 to hold the pivoted loading end of the conveyor to the desired elevation within the channel.

The conveyor and all other driven parts of the machine are powered from a single prime mover, such as an electric motor 35 (Fig. 11)), supported on a part 36 of the main frame 4 and having a drive shaft 37 connected near its opposite end to gear reducer 38 and journaled in bearing block 39, fixed also to the part 36 of the main frame 4. The gear reducer is fixed to an auxiliary frame 4a disposed alongside of and fixed to the main frame 4. The gear reducer and the drive shaft are connected by a belt 40 threaded over pulleys 41 and 42, the former being fixed to the drive shaft 37 and the latter being fixed to an input shaft 43 on the gear reducer.

The output shaft 44 on the gear reducer has a sprocket 45 fixed thereto over which a sprocket chain 46 is threaded from a sprocket 47 on the driving side of a clutch 48 that can be rendered operative or inoperative by a clutch shifting mechanism 49 comprising interconnected fork 50, horizontal bar 51 and operating handle 52. By moving the handle 52 toward the main frame 4, the clutch is rendered inoperative, whereas by moving it away from the main frame, it is rendered operative to drive a shaft 55 on which a pair of sprockets 56 and 57 are fixed. Sprocket 56 is connected to a sprocket 58 by sprocket chain 59 for operating the coring head of the hereinafter described coring device. Sprocket 57 is connected to a sprocket 60 by a sprocket chain 61 for driving an operating shaft 62 hereinafter described. A disc 63 is fixed to the end of the shaft 55, opposite to the clutch 48, carrying a pin 64, eccentrically disposed on one face, to which is pivotally connected one end of a link 65 whose other end is pivotally connected at 66 to an arm 67, intermediately of its opposite ends. One end of this arm 67 is pivoted on a shaft 68 to which is fixed the pair of sprockets 27 for driving the conveyor 7. Also fixed to this shaft 68 is a ratchet wheel having four ratchet teeth 76 disposed about its periphery for engagement by a pawl 77 which is pivoted to the free end of the arm 67. The pawl 77 is normally urged into engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 78.

This pawl and ratchet mechanism is to provide an intermittent drive for the conveyor 7 which is so timed to advance during a predetermined interval and then remain at rest for a like interval, the timing of the movement of the conveyor and the spacing of flights 12 thereon being such that, during the interval of rest, the tomatoes will be presented at the various operating stations for the desired treatment and then moved on. The movement of the intermittent drive, in its cycle of operation, is illustrated in Fig. 7. In the phantom line position, the pawl 77 has just become engaged with one of the ratchet teeth 76. It is then moved by the disc 63, and connected link 65 and arm 67, to the full line position, and then is returned idly for engagement with the next tooth, thereby turning the ratchet through a quarter turn for each complete revolution of disc 63. It is obvious from the above description, that the sprockets 27, fixed to the shaft 68, will move the conveyor a sufficient distance depending upon the extent to which the sprockets 27 have been turned.

As the conveyor 7 is moved, the tomato, with its blossom side down and its stem end uppermost, is brought first to a coring station at which the stem, including the core porion surrounding the stem, is removed from the tomato. When a tomato has moved into a predetermined position at the coring station, the conveyor stops, and tlhe tomato is lifted from it and suppored while being core The mechanism for handling the tomato for this operation comprises generally a lifting and supporting mechanism 80 (Fig. 10) and a coring device 81, the lifting and supporting mechanism removing the tomato from the conveyor with its stem end up and the blossom end down. This lifting and supporting means 80 comprises a base plate 82 mounted an angle irons 83 of the main frame 4. A cover plate 84 is placed over the base plate and secured thereto by any suitable means.

Press fitted within a recess of the cover and base plates 82 and 84, there is a collar 85 in which is slidably mounted a post 86 having a top end surface 87 for seating a tomato thereon which is to be cored. The bottom end of this post 86 is slightly recessed for seating one end of a spring 88 which is interposed between the post and an angle bracket 89 that is fixed to a housing block 90. A lug 91 is fixed to the end of the angle bracket 89 to project within the adjacent end of the spring 88 for centering it. This housing block is fixed to the base plate 82 by support strips 92 (Fig. 19).

Also supported by this same base plate 82 is a lifting mechanism that comprises a lever 93 having a forked end 94 with a pin 95 in each arm of the forked end engaging an annular groove 96 formed in the surrounding wall of the post 86. This lever 93 is pivoted at 97 to a bracket 98 that is fixed to the base plate 82. The opposite end of the lever 93 is angularly disposed downwardly and carries a roller 99 journaled thereon in position to cooperate with a cam 100 that is fixed to the shaft 62 for operating the above lifting mechanism. This shaft 62 is supported on the frame 4 by blocks 101 that are attached thereto by fastening means 102 for mounting bearings 103 in which the shaft is journaled. The shaft 62 extends beyond the main frame 4 to provide an end on which is fixed the above described driven sprocket 60. Another bearing 104, fixed to a vertical standard 105 on the supplemental frame 4a, supports the extended end of this shaft 62. The driven sprocket on this shaft 62 is continuously driven by the chain 61 when the clutch is engaged, thereby causing, at each revolution of said sprocket, the post 86 to be raised and lowered for first lifting a tomato from the conveyor toward the corer and then replacing the cored tomato on the conveyor in its cycle of operation. The spring 88, acting on the bottom end of the post 86, holds the roller 99 in contact with the edge cam 100, and the cam is of such form that when the conveyor comes to rest, the spring 88 is permitted to raise the post 86, and, shortly before the conveyor starts to move after its period of rest, the cam 100 then lowers the post which has been held elevated during the conveyors period of rest by a dwell on the cam 100.

When the post 86 is raised to lift a tomato from the conveyor toward the corer, means is provided for retaining the lifted tomato in its aligned position as on the conveyor with its stem end up and blossom end down so that the stem will be in the proper position to be cut out by the corer. This objective is obtained by a pair of jaws 110, each pivoted at 111, to the collar 85. Another collar 112 is pinned at 113 to the post 86 near its top end, said collar having a pair of oppositely disposed ears 114 each of them carrying a roller 115 journaled thereon. There is a coiled spring 116 having its ends attached to the jaws by pins 117, which project therefrom, for continuously urging the free ends of the jaws toward each other.

When the tomato lifting post 86 is in its lowest position, the rollers contact with jaws 110 at points 118, as shown by solid lines in Fig. 12, thereby holding said jaws open with their free ends apart, and, when the post 86 is raised to lift the tomato from the conveyor, the rollers 115 release the the jaws 110, thereby allowing them to close to the position shown in phantom lines in Fig. 12, by the action of the spring 116. In order to prevent the tomato from turning while being cored, small pins 119 are provided on the curved end 120 of the jaws 110.

A pair of clamping wings is also provided for engaging opposite sides of a tomato at the coring station, after the tomato has been raised by the lifting device as above described, and to hold it firmly centered under the coring device. Each wing 125 has a tubular head 126 pivoted to a post 127 that is fixed to the main frame 4, and their free ends are provided with a curved recess 128 for engaging and clamping the opposite sides of the tomato at the coring station. Each wing 125 has fixed thereto an outwardly extending lug 130, slightly in front of its pivoted end, in which is mounted the downwardly extending pins 131. The lower end of one pin 131 has a reduced end 132 fitted into a recess 133 in one end of a link 134 for being pivoted thereto, the reduced end of the pin being secured to the link by an adjustable collar 135 fitted thereon. The lower end of the other pin 131 is likewise fitted to the end of another link 136, the two links 134 and 136 being pivotably connected together by a stud 137 (Fig. 19) that is screwed into a block 138 on a slide 139 and has an upper portion loosely fitted into holes formed in the forward ends of said links. The slide 139 is movably mounted in a guide slot of the housing block 90 and confined therein by a cover 146 secured to said housing block by screws 147. Slide 139 has a slot 148 formed to provide clearance for the shaft 62, and the sides of the slot serve as an additional guide for the slide. A contact roller 149, journaled on pins 150 fixed to slide 139, engages an edge cam 151, fixed on shaft 62, and having high and low points 152 and 153 on its cam surfaces. A tension spring 154 is connected at one end by a pin 155 to slide 139 and at its opposite end by a pin 156 to the cover 146, and the spring tends to move slide 139 to the right (Fig. 19) until roller 149 engages the cam 151.

Fig. 2b shows the parts of this lifting and supporting mechanism with the clamping wings 125 in clamping position for engaging a tomato, at the coring station, and lifting it slightly from the conveyor 7 toward the coring device. Fig. 11 shows the parts with the clamping wings in the releasing position which they assume when the conveyor is moving a tomato from one operating station to another. When the conveyor is in motion, the high point 152 on the cam surface is active and holds the slide 139 to the left, as shown-in phantom in Fig. 19,-

against the tension of spring 154, so that the free ends of the clamping wings 125 are forced apart by links 134- and 136 for a tomato to be moved freely between them. The timing of cam 151 is such that when the conveyor is at rest and the low point of cam 100 becomes effective to permit a tomato at the coring station to be lifted, the low point 153 of cam 151 becomes effective to permit slide 139 to move to the right under the tension of spring 154 and also move the free ends of the clamping wings 125' toward each other for engaging and clamping the lifted tomato. Shortly before the tomato is lowered, after the coring operation, the high point 152 of the cam 151 becomes effective to move slide 139 to the left, separating the free ends of the clamping wings 125 and releasing the tomato.

The importance of having the tomato vertically aligned with its stem end up and blossom end down when lifted from the conveyor to the corer has been set forth above, and, to insure this vertical alignment, means is provided for having the tomatoes properly aligned on the conveyor when they arrive at the coring station ready to be lifted from the conveyor to the corer; A suitable means is typified by a plate 160 secured at one end to a shaft 161 by fastening screws 162 with its free end 163 disposed above the conveyor in the path of the tomatoes to contact the tops thereof and properly align them on the conveyor should they be tilted or improperly positioned on the conveyor. This shaft 161 is journaled in bearing blocks 164 that are integral with or fixed to the tops of posts 127. One end of a lever 165 is fixed to one end of shaft 161 with its opposite free end connected to a spring 166 fixed to some stationary part of the frame or machine. A limited path of movement for the free end of the lever is described by upper and lower stop limits 167 and 168, the upper stop limit 167 being an adjustable screw. The stop limits are carried by an arm fastened to the main frame 4 by fastening screws With the tomatoes properly aligned on the conveyor 7, they are ready to be cored and are lifted therefrom, one at a time, by the post 86 toward the coring mechanism as they come to the coring station. The coring mechanism is driven by the sprocket chain 59, which. passes over sprocket 56, fixed on shaft 55 (Fig. 2a), and sprocket 58, fixed to a shaft 173 (Fig. 2b) which is journaled in the bearing blocks 174 (Fig. 10) bolted at 175 to the angle irons of the supplemental frame 4a!. A face cam is fixed to the end of this shaft 173, said cam having a hight point 181 and a low point 182, disposed to contact parts of the coring mechanism hereinafter described. Another earn 183 is fixed to the shaft 173 in position for its edge to contact a roller 184 that is journaled at 185 on a slide 186 which has, at one end, a rack '187, adjacent an ear or lug 188, disposed at right angles thereto (Figs. 2b and 10). This slide 186 is actuated by the cam 183 to reciprocate the rack 187. The opposite end of this slide 186 is slotted at 189 to straddle the shaft 173, and it is constantly urged downwardly by spring 190 having one end attached thereto and its opposite end attached to some part of the supplemental frame 4a. This rack 187 meshes with a row of gear teeth 191 that are hobbed in the end of a supporting lever 192 pivoted on a pin 193 to a bracket 194 bolted at 195 (Fig. 10), through the flange foot 196 of the bracket, to the top of the supplemental frame 4a. The pivot pin 193 is in the form of a bolt having one end clamped to the bracket 194 by nut 197 (Fig. lb) and its opposite end working in an elongated slot 198 (Fig. 10) in the ear or lug 188 on the slide 186 and held in place by a nut 199.

The free end of they supporting lever 192 is disposed upwardly at a slight angle to its pivoted end when in an inoperative position, but arranged to be in a horizontal plane when lowered to operative position as shown in Fig. 10. A rotatable coring means is supported on the underside of the free end of the supporting lever 192 and connected with suitable driving mechanism, also mounted on the supporting lever, to be driven by the face cam 180 on shaft 173. This coring means comprises a projecting blade 205, disposed tangentially to a circle having its center in the pivot 193, for being inserted into the stem end of the tomato to cut out a core of conical shape around the stern. This blade 205 is fastened by one or more screws 206 to a collar 207 that is fixed to the lower end of a spindle 208 mounted on. the

supporting lever 192 through the bore of a sleeve 210 which has its flanged end 211 fitted flush with the top surface of the lever and clamped by a nut 212, having an inturned lip 213, screw threaded to its opposite end. This spindle has an enlarged upper portion 214 whose periphery is provided with vertically disposed gear teeth 215 for meshing with a rack gear 216 hereinafter described. A compression spring 217 is interposed between the collar 207 and nut 212 to normally hold the step or shoulder of the spindle 208 in contact with the lip 213 on the nut.

There is fastened to the top side of the free end of the supporting lever 192 a housing 242 which encloses the enlarged upper portion 214 of the spindle. A bushing 243 is press-fitted within a recess in the housing 242 and is concentric with a sleeve 244 that is rotatably fitted within the busing. A pin 245 projects from the inner wall of the sleeve 244 to engage one of the grooves resulting from the gear teeth on the spindle, thereby causing any rotational movement of the spindle to be between the bushing and sleeve and any vertical movement of the spindle to be between the spindle and sleeve, it being understood that the spindle is rotated to core the tomato and is also vertically movable for being resiliently held against the stem end of the tomato during the coring operation.

A slot 246 (Fig. 8) is cut in the housing to accommodate the rack bar 216, slidable within the slot, having teeth 247 thereon for meshing with the gear teeth 215 on the spindle. A cover 48 is fastened to the housing 242 for holding the rack bar 216 in place within the slot. There is a closure cap 249 attached to the cover 248, by screws 250, for surrounding the top end of the spindle 208. A portion of the housing 242 and cover 248, adjacent the end of the rack bar, is cut away at 251 to permit the end of a driving arm 252 being pivotally connected to the end of the rack bar 216 by a pin 253. The opposite end of the driving arm 252 is fixed to the end of a shaft 254 which is journaled in the bifurcated end 255 of a post 256 depending from the supporting lever 192. There is also fixed to this shaft 254 the end of an arm 257 which carries, adjacent to its lower end, a roller 258 disposed to contact the face cam 180. The roller 258 is positioned between two collars 259 adjustably mounted on said arm and secured by set screws 260. The two arms 252 and 257 are in a straight line relationship, and together they provide a driving connection between the face cam 180 and the rack bar 216, the driving connection being pivoted on the post 256. in order to permit free pivotal movement between the arm 252 and the rack bar 216, a slot 261 is provided in the 7 arm 252 through which pin 253 extends.

Also fixed to the shaft 254 is an arm 262 which has its free end connected to a spring 263 whose opposite end is attached at 264 to the supporting lever 192. This spring normally urges the roller 258 against the cam surface of the face cam 180, and it will cooperate therewith in reciprocating the rack bar upon rotation of the cam.

It is clearly apparent from the foregoing description that as the roller 184 rides in contact with the high and low points of the edge cam 183, the slide 186 will be reciprocated to rock the supporting lever 192 from the position shown in Fig. 1b to that shown in Fig. 10 and, then, after a pause to rock it back to the position of Fig. lb. The lowering of supporting lever 192 causes the coring blade 205 to penetrate the stem end of the tomato which is supported on the seating surface 87 on the top of post 86, as indicated in Fig. 10. This movement of the supporting lever brings the roller 258 into contact with cam 180 for causing the arm 252 to reciprocate the rack bar 216 to rotate spindle 208 and operate the coring blade 205. As above described the roller 258 is held in contact with the face of cam 180. when the supporting lever 192 is lowered to operative position, by the spring 263. This spring 263 is also employed for returning the spindle 208 and the coring blade 205 to their normal starting position as shown in Fig. 10. Since the spring 263 urges the roller 258 into contact with the cam 180, it will also urge the rack bar 216, at all times, toward the free end of the supporting lever 192. A stop, in the form of a plate 265, is provided on the end of the housing 242, held in place by fastening means 266, to limit the movement of the rack in this direction. The position of the rack bar 216 against the plate 265 determines the starting posiiton of the coring blade. The movement of the rack bar 216, as determined by the depth between the high and low points of the face earn 180, is correlated with relation to the revolution of spindle 208 and the coring blade 205, so that the spindle 208 will make about one and one-half turns for each stroke of the rack bar 216.

in this connection, it is desired to have the supporting lever 192 raised quickly to inoperative position following the coring operation so that the core which has been severed from the stem end of the tomato will be lifted out and ejected to one side of the machine. Accordingly, when the high point 181 of cam contacts roller 2258, slide 186 is raised, and consequently the spring 190 is at its greatest tension. It will be understood that, in raising slide 186, the supporting lever 192 is lowered to bring roller 258 into contact with the face cam 180. These two cams 180 and 183 are so arranged that in their operation the high points of both are reached by their associated contact rollers at the same instant. Then, as the roller 184 leaves the high point of cam 183, the force of the spring 190, in being released from its greatest tension, will immediately snap the supporting lever 192 to its raised or inoperative position. It is desired, however, that the rack bar 216 be held in its extreme position as caused by the high point 181 of the cam 180 until the supporting lever has been raised to inoperative position, and hence it is so held by a latch 270. This latch is pivoted at 271 to the cover 248 and urged by spring 272 to latched position with the rack bar. The rack is held latched until the latch is released, and means 273 is provided for releasing it when the supporting lever is raised to inoperative position. Because of the snap atcion in returning the supporting lever 192 to inoperative position, a rubber bumper stop 274 is provided, held in proper position by a support 275 which is clamped to a standard 276 threaded into a bracket 277 and clamped by nut 278. Bracket 277 is integral with or attached to the cover plate 84. The latch release means 273 is fixed to this support 275 in position to trip the latch from the rack bar for releasing it when the lever is elevated to inoperative position with the heel 279 of the latch 270 contacting the adjustable screw 280 of the latch release. With the rack bar released from the latch, the spring 263 is thereby permitted to function in rotating spindle 2 08, carrying coring blade 205, to its starting position as earlier described. It will be understood that in raising the supporting lever to inoperative position, the coring blade on the spindle, carried by the supporting lever, will lift the severed core from the tomato and drop it on the top of the cover plate 84 to be removed therefrom by any means, such as a hose attached to a blower or vacuum.

It has been already described that the spindle 208, on which the coring blade is carried, is movable vertically in respect to a tomato supported on the posts 86, and, therefore, it can adjust itself to tomatoes of varying size. When the supporting lever 192 is lowered to the position of Fig. 10, the coring blade 205, which lies at an angle to the axis of spindle 208 and of the tomato, penetrates the stem end of the tomato. As cam 180 rotates, rack bar 216 is moved against tension of spring 263, causing the spindle 208 to rotate for about one and one-half turns with the consequent severing by blade 205 of a conical piece, including the stem, from the stem end of the tomato.

After a tomato has been cored and its freed core removed, the cored tomato is lowered to be replaced on the conveyor which then resumes its movement to carry the cored tomato to the next operating station and bring the next tomato, in front of the following flight, in position to be lifted from the conveyor to be cored by a repeated operation of the corer.

The cored tomato has a thin transverse piece sliced from both its top and bottom ends as it leaves the corer and moves along the conveyor to the next operating station. The bottom end of the tomato is transversely sliced by a blade 290, disposed at an angle to the conveyor and mounted on a plate 291 that is fixed to a rod 292 attached to a pair of standards 293 on the top of the cover plate 84. The same pair of standards also serves as a common means for mounting the blades 294 for slicing the top slice from the tomatoes. The top end slicer comprises a thin metal plate 295 having one end fixed at 296 to a shaft 297 pivoted to the standards 293, its opposite end carrying the blades 294 angularly disposed in relation to each other on two side wings 298 formed .by cut out portions 299 between them and an intermediate tongue 300 slit through to free one end from the side wings. The free end of the tongue is bent upwardly in respect to the free ends of the side wings. The plate 295 is disposed in the path of the tomatoes on the conveyor to contact with the tops thereof. Accordingly, by bending the free end of the tongue at the desired angle to the side wings 298 the thickness of the transverse slice to be removed from the top of the tomatoes can be regulated. Since the free end of the plate carrying blades 294 is gravitated by its weight against the tops of the tomatoes, a stop limit 301 is provided to prevent its dropping into the path of the flights on the conveyor when the knives are not in contact with a tomato.

A tomato having been cored and sliced transversely across its top and bottom ends, is now ready for a steaming operation for loosening the skin from the meat so that it can be readily pulled off, in sections after being first slit, by application of suction to the opposite sides of the tomato as hereinafter described. A steaming chamber, designated generally at 320 (Fig. lb), is mounted on the frame 4 in position for the upper reach of the conveyor on which the tomatoes are carried to traverse therethrough. This steaming chamber comprises a hollow tubular pipe 321 (Fig. 4), perforated with any number of holes 322. Opposite ends of the pipe 321 fit within an annular recess 323 which is formed in end collars 324. These end collars have an annular flange 325 internally threaded at 326 to be screwed on the end of another tubular pipe member 327 which concentrically surrounds the pipe 321 and is sufliciently larger in diameter to provide a chamber 328 between the two tubular pipe members 321 and 327. A closure is provided for closing the opposite ends of the steaming chamber and yet permitting the conveyor to carry tomatoes therethrough. The closure, there being one for each end of the steaming chamber, comprises a disc 329 (Fig. 4a) of any suitable flexible material, such as leather, rubberized fabric or the like, that is slit radially at 330 from its center 331 to points 332 to form triangular flaps between the slits, the slits terminating short of the periphery of the disc. An opening 333 is cut out from the closure disc for each of the chains 11 to permit them to move through the chamber without allowing the escape therefrom of any substantial amount of steam. The free ends of the triangular flaps of the closure discs, between the radial slits 330, are flexible to permit the tomatoes and the flights of the conveyor passing through the chamber, and yet close the ends thereof against any substantial loss of steam from the chamber. The closure discs are secured in place on the opposite ends of the chamber by rings 334 which are clamped thereagainst by any number of fastening screws 335 that register with holes 336, punched in the closure disc. The chamber is insulated with any suitable insulating material 337 applied to cover its exterior side wall and to extend down over the opposite ends to the openings in the rings 334. There is an inlet conduit 338 connected to a steam supply line for feeding steam therefrom into the intermediate chamber 328 where it has access to the interior of the pipe 321 through its perforated wall. The cored tomatoes with their sliced off ends are thus subjected to a steaming atmosphere while being carried through chamber 320 by the intermittent movement of the conveyor.

The skins of the tomatoes are cut on a meridian line to divide them into sections to facilitate their removal by the vacuum means to which they are subjected as hereinafter described. The skins can be slit into sections at any stage but preferably after'the top and bottom ends have been sliced ofl. In the instant application, it is shown slit into sections subsequent to the steaming of the tomato.

The skin cutting device comprises a rod 345 (Fig. 9) having one end clamped to a standard 346 that is fixed to the frame 4 by a nut 347 threaded on the reduced end 348 of the rod fitting in a vertical slot 349 in the standard. Accordingly, the rod 345 can be properly adjusted in respect to the standard before being clamped. Pivoted on the opposite free end of the rod 345 is an arm 350 on which is mounted a rotatable disc blade 351.v The arm is interposed between a cotter pin 352 and a thrust collar 353 on the free end of the rod. This thrust collar 353 is provided with stop pin 354, cooperating with the projection 355 on the arm 350, for limiting the rotational movement of the arm 350 about the rod 345. A spring 356 has one end connected to the projection 355 and its opposite end to some fixed part of the machine. This spring urges the disc blade 351 against the side of the tomato to cut its skin on a meridian line. There are two of these skin cutters, one being disposed to cut around the top side of the tomato and the other to cut around the bottom side thereof along a meridian line. The top arm 350 is urged counter clockwise on its pivot by the spring 356, and the bottom arm 350 is urged clockwise on its pivot (Fig. 9).

The tomato upon leaving the steam chamber and the skin cutters is ready to have the loosened skin removed. The loosened skins are removed in sections by vacuum applied to opposite sides of the tomatoes, suitable mechanism being provided for applying suction or vacuum to the sides of the tomatoes prepared as above described.

When the conveyor comes to rest, flight 12 presents the tomato to the skin removing station, between the free ends of vacuum applying means. This vacuum applying means comprises duplicate means, one for each of the two opposite sides of the tomato. A bell crank lever 370 (Fig. 13) has a bearing portion 371 for pivoting it to a standard 372 mounted on a bracket 373 that is fixed to the side of the main frame 4. One arm 374 of the bell crank lever 370 is pivoted at 375 to a connector 376 (Fig. lc) fixed near one end of an operating rod 377. The other arm 378 of the bell crank lever 370 has a forked end with two prongs 379 and 380, each of which is slotted at 381 to receive pins 382 and 383 that are screw-threaded to a split collar 384 clamped around a sleeve 385 (Figs. 15 and 16). This sleeve 385 surrounds a nozzle 386 on theends of a branch 387 of the vacuum conduit and has one end outwardly flared at 388 for spreading the free ends of a series of fingers 389 pivoted to one end of an outer sleeve 390 that is serrated to provide alternating projections 391 with intervening recesses. The ends of the fingers 389 project into selected recesses to be pivoted on a ring 392 which is held in a groove formed in the end of each of the projections 391. The grooves are in circumferential alignment to conform with the ring 392. Each of the fingers has an intermediate tapered portion 393, on its side toward the sleeve 385, for contacting with the flared portion388 of the sleeve 385 to spread said fingers when the outer sleeve 390 moves the tapered portions of the fingers up the flared portion of the inner sleeve 385. An annular shoulder 394 is formed on the outer Wall of the inner sleeve to serve as a stop for the end of the outer sleeve for limiting the spread of the pivoted fingers. Accordingly, when the outer sleeve is in contact with the stop shoulder 394, the fingers are at their maximum spread. The outer sleeve is lined with a bushing 395, secured to its inner wall, and the end of this bushing toward the shoulder is the part that abuts the shoulder 394. The non-serrated end of the outer sleeve 390 has a pin 396 projecting therefrom to fit within a recess in the adjacent side of the split collar 384 to hold said sleeve 390 in longitudinal alignment with the split collar in position as clamped on the inner sleeve 385. The top and bottom of the outer sleeve 390 isprovided with screw-threaded recesses to receive the reduced threaded ends 397 of bolts 398 and 399 which project from said outer sleeve in opposite directions into the elongated slots 400 formed in the forked ends 481 of a block that is bolted at 402 to the frame 4. These bolts 398 and 399 slide in the slots 400 when the inner sleeves 385 of each duplicate vacuum applying means are moved toward each other on the nozzles 386, thereby moving also the outer sleeves until the bolts 398 and 399 contact the ends of limiting screws 403 that are provided in the block at one end of the slots. Similar limiting screws 404 are also provided in the block at the opposite ends of the slots 400.

A resilient cup 405 is fitted to each of the outer sleeves 390 surrounding the nozzles to make air sealing connections with the opposite sides of a tomato, thereby permitting the vacuum within the vacuum conduit line to remove the skins. The cups are made of rubber, and their tomato gripping ends are pleated at 406 to form stretchable mouths which are readily expanded by the spreading fingers 389, and will be self-contracting when the fingers are contracted. By having the mouths of the cups pleated, they can be expanded without substantially stretching the rubber, thereby prolonging the life of the cups as well as increasing their stretchability.

Associated with the split collar 384 is a means for engaging the non-serrated end of the outer sleeve 390 for holding said sleeve in that position on the inner sleeve 385 in which the fingers are expanded (Fig. 17) for the rubber cups to be seated against the sides of the tomato, after which the fingers are contracted for the mouths of the rubber cups to contract and flex against the tomato to effect a seal. This holding means for the outer sleeve comprises an L-shaped lever 410 (Figs. 17 and l8),pivoted at an intermediate point 411 to the split collar 384. One arm 412 of the lever 410 is adapted to be moved in and out of contact with the non-serrated end of the outer sleeve by pivoting the other end 413 of said lever at 414 to a rod 415 coupled at one end to the arm by coupling 416. The other end of the rod 415 passes through an opening in a lug 417 fixed to some fixed part, such as the branch 387 of the conduit line. A spring 418, surrounding the rod, is interposed between the coupling and the lug to be compressed by adjusting clamp nuts 419 that are screw-threaded on the end of the rod. Spring 418 being compressed normally urges the lever 410 in position for its arm 412 to be in contact with the non-serrated end of the outer sleeve 390, thereby holding said sleeve in position for the fingers to be expanded until the arm is disengaged from the end of the sleeve by tripping the lever 410. Tripping of the lever is effected by the nuts 419 coming into contact with the lug 417 when the split collar is moved by the arm 378 toward the conveyor, thereby causing a direct pull upon arm 413 of the lever 41% to disengage the other arm 412 from the non-serrated end of the outer sleeve 390 as shown in Fig. 18. The inner sleeves then continue toward each other, relative to the outer sleeves, so that their flared ends will pass beyond the tapered portion of the fingers and allow the fingers to be contracted.

The means above described for grasping the opposite sides of a tomato for connecting them to the nozzles of the vacuum conduits are slightly above the center of the tomato on the conveyor, and, accordingly, means is provided for lifting the tomato from the conveyor in position to be grasped by the rubber cups 405. This means comprises an arm 425 (Fig. 3) narrowed on its free end and disposed for its narrowed free end to project into contact with the bottom of a tomato for lifting it from the conveyor, the free end of the arm being normally urged into the path of the conveyor by a spring 426 connected by suitable linkage. This linkage comprises a bell crank lever 427 fixed to a shaft 428 that is journaled in a bracket 429 bolted at 430 to the frame. One end of the spring 426 is connected to one arm 431 of the bell crank lever 427 and its other end is fixed to a bolt 432 (Fig. 13) on the main frame 4. The other arm 433 of the bell crank lever is pivoted to a link 434 connected to a lever arm 435 that is fixed to a shaft 436, also journaled in the bracket 428. The widened end of the arm 425 is fastened at 437 to this shaft 436.

This lifting arm 425 contacts the bottom of a tomato to raise and support it for subjection to the vacuum conduits until the skin has been removed, after which the tomato is replaced on the conveyor. Since this lifting means is at all times being urged by the spring 426 in position to lift a tomato from the conveyor, a positive means is provided for lowering the arm, against the tension of the spring. to permit replacement of the tomato on the conveyor. This positive means comprises a lug 4.3-8 fixed. to shaft 428 and disposed in position to be contacted by a. bumper 439 on the operating rod 377 to lower the narrowed end of the lifting arm, against the urging of the spring, out of the path of the tomato.

Means is also provided for exerting slight pressure against the top of the tomato at the time it is lifted from the conveyor to the vacuum conduits, and means for this purpose comprises an arm 440 (Fig. 13) fixed to a block 441 that is pivoted at 442 to a bridge support 443 mounted on the tops of standards 372. This arm is yieldably held in position by a leaf spring 444 that is held in position on the bridge support by a clamp nut 445 with its opposite end and an intermediate portion, each in contact with the top surface of the block 441. The top of the tomato when lifted from the conveyor will be contacted by the yieldable free end of the arm so that the tomato will be held seated on the lifting arm 425.

When a cored tomato with its loosened skin slit is moved on the conveyor in position to be subjected to the skinning device, it will be raised by the lifting arm 425 in substantial alignment with nozzles 336 and with its top against the yieldably held arm 44%. As the tomato is being lifted, arms 378 are actuated by theoperating rod 377 to move toward each other the pair of sleeves 385 and 390 on the nozzles 386 until the movement of the outer sleeves 390 is stopped by bolts 398 and 399 contacting limit screws 403. When the movement of the outer sleeves is thus stopped, only the inner sleeves 385 continue in their movement toward each other, moving relatively to the outer sleeves. it will be understood that when the inner and outer sleeves move together as a unit, the outer sleeves are abutting the shoulders 394 on the inner sleeves and the fingers are in expanded position by reason of the tapered portion on the fingers being held up on the flared end 388 of the inner sleeves. Since the fingers are expanded, the rub ber cups are, of course, also expanded ready to be brought into contact with the tomato as they have been moved to their extreme position toward each other. Hence, any continued movement of the inner sleeves is allowed only after the arm 412 of the L-shaped lever 410 has been disengaged from the end of the outer sleeve 390, thereby causing the flared ends of the inner sleeves to move down the tapered portions of the fingers and allowing the fingers to be contracted for the rubber cups to seal themselves against the sides of the tomatoes. The vacuum in the branches 337 of the vacuum conduit is on continuously, and consequently the slit skin sections of the tomatoes are immediately subjected to the vacuum as soon as the rubber cups seal themselves against the sides of the tomatoes. The skinned tomato is then ready to be replaced on the conveyor with the vacuum sealing cups returned to their original position ready for skinning the next tomato. The vacuum sealing means are caused to return to their original position by the operating rod 377.

The nozzles 386 on the branches 387 first receive the skins as they are removed from the tomatoes into the cups to be drawn out through the branches 387 into the main vacuum line 447 to a vacuum tank 448. The ends of the nozzles 386 are preferably slotted at 449 on opposite sides to open into the space surrounded by the rubber cups, thereby causing the vacuum to be applied over the whole area of the tomato which is surrounded by the rubber cups. This brings the grasp of the vacuum close to the sliced ends of the tomatoes, and separation of the skin sections is assured without any tendency for a tomato to be sucked into the vacuum conduit, such as might occur if the force of the vacuum were concentrated at a smaller area not near either of the sliced ends.

The forward end of the operating rod 377 has attached thereto a block 450 (Fig. 11) comprising two arms 451 and 452, the former arm being integral with the block and the other arm being attached thereto by fastening means 453. Arm 451 is bifurcated at 454 to accommodate shaft 62 and be supported thereby. The other arm 452 is slotted at 455 for likewise accommodating shaft 62 and being supported thereby. A roller 456 is rotatively mounted on a bolt 457 on said arm 451, said roller being disposed to cooperate with a earn 458, fixed to shaft 62, for operating the mechanism for moving the rubber cups away from each other back to the starting position from the working position. Another roller 459 (Fig. 10) is rotatably journaled on a bolt 460 fixed to the end of the other arm 452 in position to cooperate with another cam 461, also fixed to shaft 62, for operating the vacuum applying mechanism to move the rubber cups toward each other to working position from the starting position. A cutout 466 is made in the housing block in order to provide clearance for the arm 452 and allow the parts to be brought closer together for arranging them more compactly.

The vacuum tank has a top cover 478 (Fig. 2b) secured thereon by fasteners 479, to enclose it. A means 480, such as a vacuum pump, is mounted on one end of the tank in position to be driven from the electric motor 35 by a belt 481 threaded over a pulley that aligned with another pulley 482 on shaft 37. The vacuum tank is supported by means depending from the frame 4.

A blower outlet 483 is provided 011 the vacuum pump 13 to permit an end of a flexible hose (not shown) being attached thereto so that its opposite end can be disposed to blow, from the top of the cover plate 84 into a receptacle, the cores that are deposited thereon from the corer.

The water nozzles 17 for supplying the water into the collecting feed tank are connected to a main water conduit 490 extended along the bottom of the tank to a circulating pump 491, mounted on the frame 4 near the channel discharge end. Water is discharged from the tank through a discharge conduit 18, connected to the pump, to be recirculated through the tank. ,This water pump is driven by the common drive shaft 37 from the electric motor 35.

Inasmuch as the conveyor for moving the tomatoes from the collecting tank to the various operating stations is relatively long, rails 498 are provided for supporting it between the drive sprocket 27 and the idler sprocket 28 to prevent undue sagging. The rails are supported on the frames 4 by brackets 499.

In the operation of the above described machine, a supply of tomatoes is dumped into the collecting tank 2, substantially filled with water or other suitable liquid containing a supply of salt, at the receiving end of the machine where the tomatoes float on the surface of the liquid above the false screen bottom with their stem ends up. The floating tomatoes are urged by the circulation of the liquid Within the tank toward and through the channel in which the loading end of the conveyor is disposed, partially submerged in the liquid in the channel portion of the tank. Tomatoes are picked up on the conveyor, one by one, from the tank in front of the individual flights, stem end up, to be moved thereby in sequence to the various operating stations.

The first operating station is that for coring the tomatoes, and, when a tomato reaches there, it is located over the surface 87 of the post 86 and lifted from the conveyor by the post. As the tomato is being lifted from the conveyor, the jaws 110 move into position to contact its opposite sides for holding it vertically aligned, with its stem end up as positioned on the conveyor. It is further held by engagement of the clamping wings 125. When so lifted and held, the coring blade 205 is lowered into position to penetrate into the stem end of the tomato and be rotated to cut out a core surrounding the stem. The coring blade is rotated along with the spindle 208 by the driving mechanism from the face cam 180, said mechanism being driven as the roller 258 contacts the face of said cam in moving from the low to the high points thereon. This travel of the cam turns the coring blade 205 about one and one-half revolutions from its starting position, thereby allowing the blade to cut out the core and be in a position to lift the severed core out of the tomato and deposit it on the cover plate 84 when the supporting lever 192 is raised by the spring 190. The spring raises the supporting lever as soon as the high point of the cam 183 has passed. While the supporting lever is being raised, the spindle 208 is held stationary against rotation by reason of the rack bar 216 having been secured by the latch 270, but when the supporting lever is raised sufiiciently high, the latch is contacted by the release means 273 to free the rack bar for allowing rotation of the spindle and coring blade back to starting position. This coring operation takes place while the conveyor is at rest. Before the conveyor starts to move again, the post 86 descends to replace the tomato on the conveyor, and jaws 110 and clamping wings 125 open to release the cored tomato.

The core having been cut out and removed from the tomato, the conveyor is started again to carry the tomato over and past the slicing blades 290 and 294 for removing a thin slice from its top and bottom ends, and pro-' viding cut edges of skin adjacent these cuts. The conveyor does not stop for this end slicing operation inas- 1111111011 as the cutters function as the tomato moves past t em.

The conveyor next brings the tomato through the steaming chamber 320 in which it is scalded to loosen the skin by surrounding steam in the chamber. Upon leaving this steaming chamber, the conveyor carries the tomato to a skin slitting device for dividing it into sections by a pair of rotating blades 351 cutting along a meridian line around the top and bottom of the tomato. One knife is disposed to cut around the top of the tomato, and the other blade around the bottom of the tomato.

The next and last operative station is that for remov ing the skins, and here the conveyor stops while the to mate is lifted therefrom. As the tomato is lifted, the rubber cups 405 are moved toward each other by arms 378 connected to the split collar 384 on the inner sleeve 385, and, as the cups move toward each other, they are in their expanded position by reason of the fingers being spread by the flared ends 388 of the inner sleeves and the tapered portions 393 on the fingers being in the proper relation to spread the fingers. The inner and outer sleeves, with the fingers spread, first move together as a unit, with the lever 410 spring urged toward the inner sleeve and abutting against the non-serrated end of the outer sleeve until the rubber cups are moved to their extreme position adjacent each other. That position is determined by the limiting screws 403 abutting against the bolts 398 and 399, and, at the same time, the nuts 419 on the end of rod415 contact the lugs 417 to disengage the levers 410 from the outer sleeves. Further movement of the inner sleeves, relative to the outer sleeves, brings the tapered portions 393 on the fingers down the flared ends 388 of the inner sleeves, permitting the fingers to be contracted and also permitting the mouths of the rubber cups, surrounding the fingers, to seal themselves against the sides of the tomatoes for rendering the vacuum in the nozzles of the vacuum conduit effective to pull the two skin sections apart and off the tomato. The removed skin sections pass through the nozzles 386 and the branch conduits 387 to the main vacuum line 447 and are drawn into tank 448 where they are collected for subsequent removal through the top of the tank when removing its cover. At the completion of this skin removing operation, the conveyor delivers the cored and skinned tomato at the delivery end of the machine.

I am aware that there may be various changes in details of construction of the above described machine without departing from the spirit of my invention which is limited only by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

l. A tomato skinning machine comprising the combination of means for applying vacuum to slit skin sections of the tomato to separate them from the tomato, said vacuum applying means including a radially expandable cup adapted to seal itself from expanded position against the tomato, means for radially expanding the cup member and releasing it from expanded position for sealing itself against the side of the tomato, and a conveyor for carrying the tomatoes, one by one, to said vacuum applying means, successively.

2. The machine in claim 1 in which the vacuum applying means is such as to apply vacuum to opposite sides of the tomato.

3. The machine in claim 1 in which the means for radially expanding the cup member and releasing'it from expanded position for sealing itself against the side of the tomato is movable relatively to said cup member.

4. The machine in claim 3 in which the vacuum applying means is such as to apply vacuum to opposite sides of the tomato simultaneously.

5. The machine in claim 4 including means for coring the stem end of the tomato prior to separating the skin sections therefrom.

6. The machine in claim 5 including means for scalding the tomato prior to removing the skin sections.

7. The machine in claim 6 including means for removing a thin transverse slice from the top and bottom ends of the tomato prior to removing the skin sections.

8. The machine in claim 7 including means for automatically loading tomatoes, stem end uppermost, on said conveyor in spaced relation.

9. The machine in claim 8 including means for driving said conveyor intermittently.

10. A tomato skinning machine comprising the combination of a conveyor, means for applying vacuum to slit skin sections of a tomato cored at its stem end for separating them from the tomato, said vacuum applying means including a radially expansible cup and means for expanding and releasing said cup in expanded position against the sides of the tomato, and means for driving the conveyor intermittently to the vacuum applying means.

11. The machine in claim 10 including means for lifting the tomato from the conveyor to subject it to the vacuum applying means.

12. The machine in claim 1 l in which the lifting means operates when the conveyor is at rest.

13. The machine in claim 12 including a stem corer to which the tomato is lifted from the conveyor and clamping means provided for engaging opposite sides of the tomato which is lifted to the corer.

14. The machine in claim 13 in which the clamping means is provided with means to prevent the lifted tomato being turned relatively thereto.

15. A tomato coring and skinning machine comprising the combination of means for coring the stem end of the tomato, means for cutting a thin transverse slice from the top and bottom ends of the tomato, said means for cutting the top slices including adjustable means for regulating the thickness of the slice, means for slitting the skin of the tomato along meridian lines between the sliced top and bottom ends, means for applying vacuum to the slit skin sections for removing said sections from the tomato and a conveyor for carrying the tomatoes, one by one, to the coring means, the top and bottom end slicing means, the slitting means, and the vacuum applying means, successively, so that said tomato will have its stem end cored, its top and bottom ends sliced, and the remaining skin slit in sections when said tomato is lifted to the vacuum applying means.

16. The machine in claim 15 in which the top slicing means is mounted on a yieldable support projecting in the path of the tomato and the adjustable means is carried by said support to be engaged by the top of the tomato for determining the thickness of the slice to be removed from the top of the tomato.

17. The machine in claim 16 in which the means for being engaged by the top of the tomato is an arm attached to the support.

18. The machine in claim 16 in which the support for the top slicing means is a pivoted member comprising a plurality of arms having free ends disposed at different elevations in the path of the tomato and a cutter is carried on the end of the arm which is at a lower elevation.

19. The machine in claim 18 in which the free end of the arm at the higher elevation cooperates with the tomato to determine the thickness of the slice to be cut from the top thereof.

20. The mechanism in claim 19 in which there are a plurality of the arms, each carrying a cutting blade, and an intermediate arm for determining the thickness of the slice to be removed from the top of the tomato.

21. A tomato skinning machine comprising the combination of means for applying vacuum to slit skin sections of a tomato to separate them from the tomato, and a conveyor for carrying the tomatoes, one by one, to said vacuum applying means, said vacuum applying means comprising a nozzle, a plurality of sleeves slidably attached to the nozzle, an expansible cup, means for expanding said cup carried by one of the sleeves and cooperating means on the other sleeve for actuating the expanding means when the sleeves are slid relatively to each other.

22. The tomato skinning machine in claim 21 in which there is a vacuum applying means for opposite sides of the tomato.

23. The-tomato skinning machine in claim 22 in which the sleeves of each vacuum applying means are connected to move as a unit when the sleeve units in the oppositely disposed applying means are moved toward each other, with the cups expanded by the expanding means, to extreme position for the sleeves carrying the cups and the expanding means, and means for disengaging the sleeves of the unit to allow the non-cup-carrying sleeves to move further toward each other, relatively to the cup-carrying sleeves, for contracting the expanding means and permitting the cups to seal themselves against the sides of the tomato.

24. The tomato skinning means in claim 23 in which means is provided for regulating this cycle of movement of the cup-carrying sleeves in respect to the other sleeves.

25. The tomato skinning machine of claim 24 in which the means for regulating the cycle of movement of the cup-carrying sleeve is a guide channel having adjustable stop means disposed at opposite ends thereof.

26. The tomato skinning means in claim 25 in which the means for detachably connecting the sleeves in the vacuum applying means is a lever.

27. The tomato skinning means in claim 26 in which the detachably connecting means for the sleeves is operatively connected with a means for sliding the sleeves relatively to the nozzle.

28. A tomato skinning machine comprising the combination of means for applying vacuum to the skin sections of a tomato to separate them from slit tomato, and a conveyor for carrying tomatoes, one by one, to said vacuum applying means, said vacuum means comprising a cup having a pleated wall to render same readily contractable and expansible, means for expanding the cup, means for moving the cup against the side of a tomato, and means for contracting the expanding means to permit the cup to seal itself against the side of the tomato.

29. The skinning machine in claim 28 in which the vacuum means is such as to apply vacuum to opposite sides of the tomato simultaneously.

30. The skinning machine in claim 29 in which the expanding means for the cup is a plurality of fingers pivoted to the end of an outer sleeve surorunding an inner sleeve that is provided with means for cooperating with means on the fingers for expanding and contracting them by moving the sleeves relatively to each other.

31. In a tomato coring machine of the class described, a coring mechanism comprising the combination of a supporting lever pivoted to rock about a horizontal axis, means for rocking said lever automatically about its pivot to and from operative position, a coring shaft rotatably mounted on said lever, means for rotating said shaft automatically, a coring blade on the end of the shaft in position to be projected into the stem end of the tomato, means for automatically locking the coring shaft in position after being rotated to core the tomato, and means for automatically unlocking the coring shaft when the lever is rocked to inoperative position.

32. The machine in claim 31 including spring means for returning the coring shaft to its starting position after being released by the locking means.

33. The machine in claim 31 in which the operating means for rotating the coring shaft is a rack gear.

34. The machine in claim 33 in which the locking means cooperates with the rack gear to hold it until said lever is raised to inoperative position.

35. The machine in claim 33 including spring means for returning the coring shaft to starting position, said spring being tensioned by the movement of the rack gear in rotating the coring shaft from starting position.

36. A tomato coring and skinning machine comprising the combination of a loading tank, adapted to be filled with water, having a narrow channel into which the tomatoes are floated stem end up; a conveyor having a stretch extending into the channel from below the liquid level upwardly and forwardly to'a point above the liquid level for having the tomatoes floated thereon with their stem ends up; a coring device; means for lifting the tomatoes, one at a time, from the conveyor for subjecting them to the corer and then replacing the cored tomato on the conveyor; cutters disposed for removing a thin transverse slice from the top and bottom ends of the tomato, said top cutter comprising a pivoted support having a plurality of arms with free ends disposed at different elevations in the path of the tomato, the free end of one arm carrying a blade for cutting transversely through the tomato and the free end of another arm adapted to contact the top of the tomato for determining the thickness of the top transverse slice; means for slicing the tomato along meridian lines between its sliced top and bottom ends to form skin sections; vacuum applying means for removing the skin sections comprising a nozzle having a pair of sleeves slidably mounted thereon and slidable relatively to each other, an expansible cup and expander means for the cup carried by one of the sleeves, and cooperating means on the other sleeve and the expander means for actuating said expander to expand and release the cup in expanded position to seal itself against the tomato; and means for lifting the tomatoes, one at a time, from the conveyor for subjecting them to the vacuum applying means and then replacing them on the conveyor.

37. The machine in claim 36 including means for scalding the tomatoes before they are subjected to the vacuum applying means.

38. The machine in claim 37 in which the vacuum applying means is such as to apply vacuum to opposite sides of the tomatoes simultaneously.

39. A tomato coring and skinning machine comprising the combination of a coring unit; a skinning unit; a conveyor on which the tomatoes are adapted to be seated at spaced intervals; and a tank adapted to contain water for floating said tomatoes to seated position at intervals on said conveyor with their stem ends up for being fed to said coring and skinning units; said coring unit comprising the combination of a supporting lever pivoted to rock about a horizontal axis, means for rocking said lever automatically about its pivot to and from operative position, a coring shaft rotatably mounted on said lever, means for rotating said shaft automatically, a coring blade on the end of the shaft in position to be projected into the stem end of the tomato, means for automatically locking the coring shaft in position after being rotated to core the tomato, and means for automatically unlocking the coring shaft when the lever is rocked to inoperative position; and said skinning mechanism comprising means for slitting the tomato skin along meridian lines to form skin sections, and means for directly applying vacuum to the skin sections to separate them from the tomato, said vacuum applying means including a radially expansible cup adapted to seal itself from expanded position against the tomato.

40. In a machine of the class described, skin removing mechanism comprising a conveyor, means for driving the conveyor intermittently, a pair of holders on opposite sides of the conveyor, means for moving said holders to and from each other to engage and release a tomato presented between them by the conveyor, a vacuum cup carried by each holder, a vacuum conduit connected to each cup, and means for connecting said conduits with a source of vacuum.

41. The combination of claim in which the holder moving means are so constructed and controlled as to move the holders toward and away from each other While the conveyor is at rest.

42. A tomato skinning machine comprising the combination of means for applying vacuum to slit skin sections of the tomato to separate them from each other and from the tomato, means for moving the vacuum applying means in and out of sealing position against the tomato and a conveyor for carrying tomatoes, one by one, in place for said vacuum applying means to move in and out of sealing position against said tomatoes.

43. The machine set forth in claim 42 in which the vacuum applying means is such as to apply vacuum to opposite sides of the tomato simultaneously.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,122,859 Chase Dec. 29, 1914 1,155,252 Linville Sept. 28, 1915 1,173,230 Vaudreuil Feb. 29, 1916 1,312,332 Kirino Aug. 5, 1919 1,366,188 Kirino Jan. 18, 1921 1,484,446 Felizianetli Feb. 19, 1924 1,815,730 Chapman et al July 21, 1931 1,950,791 Goranson et al Mar. 13, 1934 1,982,779 Ayars Dec. 4, 1934 2,252,951 Urschel et al Aug. 19, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 12,576/33 Australia May 14. 1934 

